A
study regarding the improvement of the amplitude of the movements of
the spine in sportspeople | The mobility of the joints of the
spine
represents, undoubtedly, one of the factors of maintaining an good
health condition, but also the premise of achieving performance in
sports. The somatomethric and somatoscopic analysis of a sportsman
beads to the observation and explanation of certain situations, where
there is no concordance between the physical aspect – the
effort made during training – the expectations of the
sportsman – and the obtained results. This analysis
was the basis of the present study, in which during 3 months from a
semester 2 simple and easy to use methods were applied weekly on 65
students of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports: therapy
through movement and relaxation. The results were both immediate and on
the long term, being also related to each subject’s
motivation. Keywords: the mobility of the
joints of the spine, therapy through movement, relaxation
|
The mobility of the spinal joints represents, undoubtedly, one of the
factors that help maintaining an optimal level of health, and also the
premise for obtaining performance in sports. Most frequently, the way
in which a person walks, the position one adopts while standing or
sitting are not the ideal ones from the point of view of the
biomechanics of the spine. Consequently, two situations occur: one that
is related to medical pathology, and the second connected with the
possibilities of movement at the level of the spinal joints.
Frederick Matthias Alexander once said: “A perfect spine is
an
important factor in maintaining those conditions and ways of using the
human machinery that co - operate to maintain a perfect health, but,
even so, there are only few people that do not suffer, one way or
another, maybe even unconsciously, from the curving of the
spine.”
The spine acts as a pillar that supports the superior sections of the
body, as well as being a means of protection for the marrow and for the
spinal nerves. The biped position, although it has its advantages, also
generates problems, the main of which being that there is a highly
unstable structure that we use to counterbalance the gravity, due to
the fact that we have only two (not four) inferior limbs to support us.
One
of the most significant characteristics of the spine is that it
presents a series of curves that strengthen its structure, so that it
may support relatively heavy weights, these being also a spring to
minimize any disturbing factors that act plantar.
Depending on
the
type of position one adopts (ortostatism, clinostatism, sitting), on
the type of activity taking place or on the age of the subject, the
curves of the spine are modified. Each of us is accustomed to sitting
on the chair in a certain manner, to sitting at the desk in a
particular way, to walk in their own style, all these motions having
the spine for main support. Only that the movements we repeat often
enough become patterns of movement, that are not necessarily
correct, and with time they transform into attitudes and
eventually become positions. In this last phase, the biomechanics of
spine is unquestionably interfered with, which leads to (according to
each particular case) a drop in sportive or physical performances, and
sometimes to the settling in of the pathology specific to the area in
discussion.
When approaching the problem of the
spine, one should
not stop only at the physical aspects, but also take into consideration
the emotional and mental components. Our usual way of being, that we
are encouraged to follow from a very tender age, affects our well-
being (both physical and mental). In turn, this will affect the later
performances, favoring the occurrence of the lack of confidence,
frustration, a general state of unhappiness, anger.
Being
given the
importance of the problem, we have conducted a study among the students
of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports from the “Al.
I.
Cuza” University of Iasi, on a batch of 65 students, that
have
attended an optional practical course weekly, for a period of 3 months,
entitled “Therapy through movement”.
The idea of the
course and the choice of the title were meant to suggest that during
the course we will use the methods and instruments specific for
Kinetology (Kinesiology). (We wish to specify that there is a clear
distinction between the concepts we use: the Kinetotherapy is involved
in correcting the scanty mechanisms of movement, whereas the Therapy
through movement, as a specific work method of the Kinetology, looks at
the illness from the perspective of prophylaxis, associated with the
shaping of the psycho – motor behavior).
The experiment involved the following succession of activities:
- Analyzing
the position of one’s own body and the way in which each
person walks;
- Each subject was then asked to
analyze their own condition and the sensations they feel in their body
and to memorize them;
- Explaining
the physiological position one should adopt: the explanation consisted
in realigning the segments of the body in accordance with the
biomechanical axis of movement;
- Practicing and
correcting individual positions;
- Maintaining the
newly – obtained positions;
- Repeating the
exercises previously learned;
- Reanalyzing
the sensations in one’s own body, the way each person feels
and
walks, trying to reenter the old attitudes and positions;
- The
relaxation of the segments for 5 – 7 minutes, associated with
music.
In
this experiment, the most important stage is the one in which the
segments are repositioned and realigned, starting from the joints of
the ankles upwards, towards those of the knees, coxo –
femoral,
and then those of the vertebrae from the lumbar, toracal and ending
with the superior limbs. The element of innovation in this experiment
is represented by the place from where the repositioning starts (from
down upwards), as compared to the classical method (from the level of
the shoulders towards the inferior limbs).
The
experiment was accompanied all throughout by music.
In
analyzing the results we have used (both before the relaxation session,
as well as after it):
Subjective
parameters, quantified by: no modification, better, good, very good (in
relation with the way in which they felt, they perceived their body,
the relaxation);
Measurements of the
amplitude of the spine.
The results we have
obtained:
Before the relaxation session:
Nr. of subjects | No modification | better | good | Very good |
65 | 5
(8%) | 7 (11%) | 9 (14%) | 44
(67%) |
After
the relaxation session:
Nr. of subjects | No modification | better | good | Very good |
65 | - | 3 (5%) | 4
(6%) | 58 (89%) |
The
values of the amplitude gained through this type of exercises (right
away):
Nr.
of subjects | No measurable
modification | Better mobility
without amplitude | Between 1.5
and 3 cm | Between
3 and 5 cm | Over 5 cm |
65 | - | 3 (4.61%) | 4
(6.1%) | 51 (78.46%) | 7(10.76%) |
Values
of the amplitude gained through this type of exercises (after two
months):
Nr.
of subjects | No measurable
modification | Better mobility
without amplitude | Between 1.5
and 3 cm | Between
3 and 5 cm | Over 5 cm |
65 | 3
(4.61%) | 4 (6.1%) | 7(10.76%) | 46
(70.76%) | 5 (7.6%) |
From
the data presented one can notice the very good effect that this method
of approaching the suggested topic has. However, the disadvantage of
this experiment is that whoever applies it as a method of work must
also have knowledge from the field of psychology (of techniques of
neuro–linguistic programming), in order to be able to shape
the
emotional and mental components of the participants throughout the
practice.
From the data we have obtained in this
study we can draw several conclusions:
1.it
is compulsory to give special attention to the position of the spine in
the case of sportspeople as well;
2.the
set of movements we have applied is very easy, with a small time span
and can be used very easily, without requiring any special
arrangements, other than a regular gym room;
3.the association
with the relaxation of the segments is at will.